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Why WWI Began
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was shot to death along with his wife, who was pregnant, by Gavrilo Princip. Austria-Hungry, like many countries around the world, blamed the Serbian government for the attack. They waited to declare war though, until they knew Germany would back them up in case Russia intervened. -
Austria-Hungry Declares War
With German support, Austria-Hungry declares war on Serbia. Because of this, the fragile peace between Europe's great powers collapsed. Within a week, Serbia, Russia, France, Great Britain, and Belgium (Allies) had declared war on Austria-Hungry and Germany (Central Powers). The Allies went on to win this war after four years of fighting. -
Germany Invades Belgium
German troops, under Erich Ludendorff, crossed the border into Belgium, violating their neutrality. They attacked the heavily fortified city of Liege, using the most powerful weapons they had. Leaving death and destruction behind, including the shooting of civilians and the execution of Belgian priest. This was apart of the Schlieffen Plan, which was Germany's plan to a quick and easy victory to defeating France through Belgium. -
The First Battle of the Marne
Fought from September 6-9, 1914, French and British forces confronted the invading Germany army, which by then had penetrated deep into France. Under the French commander Joseph Joffre, the Allied troops mounted a successful counterattack, driving the Germans back to north of the Aisne River. The defeat meant the end of German plans for a quick victory in France. Both sides dug into trenches, and this began the bloody war of attrition. -
Lusitania
The Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat. The captain ignored British Admiralty's recommendations and was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side. The torpedo blast was followed by a larger explosion, which was probably the ships boilers. It took 20 minutes for the Lusitania to sink off the coast of Ireland. -
The Battle of Juntland
Involving about 250 ships and 100,000 men, this was the only major naval surface engagement of World War I. The battle began in the afternoon, between the German and British scouting forces. When the main warships met, British Admiral John Jellicoe maneuvered his boats to take advantage of the fading daylight, and eventually forced German Admiral Reinhard Scheer to retreat. Both sides claimed victory in this indecisive battle, though Britain retained control of the North Sea. -
America Enters the War
The senate voted to declare war against Germany. Two days later the House of Representatives endorsed the declaration. This was a result from Germany announcing that they would resume unrestricted warfare in war-zone waters. Also because of the sinking of US ships by the U-Boats. -
Description of the Men Eugene Worked With
In the letter he sent to his mother, he talked about the men he works with. Describing them as a good bunch of men that come from all over the country. They are close to all young men that are "pretty keen medical men". Eugene also describes how they are all eager to get over to the other side. They are looking forward to the green hills of France rather than Washington D.C., although they don't really want to go through training camp. -
U-Boat Encounter
In a letter to his mother, Eugene talked about an encounter his boat had with a German U-Boat. They were travailing from the East Coast of the United States to England when their boat came across the sub. Most of the men on board were excited for this. They had not seen any action yet and were looking forward to this. After a lengthy battle the ship, Eugene was on, was able to sink the German submarine. Along with they help of the other ships in their convoy. -
The Battle of Caporetto
The First Battle of the Isonzo took place in the late spring of 1915, soon after Italy’s entrance into the war on the Allied side. In the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo, or the Battle of Caporetto, German reinforcements helped Austria-Hungary win a decisive victory. After the loss, Italy’s allies offered increased assistance. British, French, and later American, troops arrived in the region, and the Allies began to take back the Italian Front. -
Eugene's Ambulance Company
Eugene describes his company in a letter he sent to his mother. The ambulance company that he belongs to consist of a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel, and seven other officers. Also in his company there are about 250 other men, stretcher bearers, etc. There are also 15 ambulances, 10 of them being motor and 5 being mule. Each division has three of these Field Ambulances. -
The Battle of Cambrai
The battle marked the first large-scale use of tanks for a military offensive. Led by General Julian Byng, a British force of nine infantry divisions, five cavalry divisions and three tanks brigades attacked the Germans. Although the British tanks and infantry overwhelmed German defenses on the first day, the cavalry was slow to develop. On Nov. 30, the Germans counterattacked and regained most of the ground lost. The battle demonstrated the power of tanks and changed future warfare. -
Russia Withdraws from the War
Defeat on the battlefield led the growing discontent among the majority of Russia’s population. This discontent resulted in the Russian Revolution of 1917, led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks. One of Lenin’s first actions as leader was to call a halt to Russian participation in World War I. Russia reached an armistice with the Central Powers in early December of 1917, freeing German troops. This allowed Germany to move troops and artillery to the Western Front to fight the Allies. -
Eugene's First Battle
They moved into their first battle and Eugene was up somewhere near it. If he was to never be in another battle, he wouldn't feel bad about it. On Thanksgiving Day the attack started. The battle lasted for about 5 days. Eugene was located in the middle of his own field artillery, and the roar of the guns and the sound of the German shells made the day seem more like the fourth of July to him. Then the wounded started coming in and he was kept busy for the remainder of the battle. -
The Second Battle of the Marne.
German troops under Erich von Ludendorff attacked French forces, joined by 85,000 American troops and some of the British Expeditionary Force. The Allies put back the German offensive, and launched their own counteroffensive three days later. After suffering massive casualties, Ludendorff was forced to call off a planned German offensive further north, in the Flanders region stretching between France and Belgium, which he had envisioned as Germany’s best hope of victory. -
Experiencing War
Eugene was in the initial attack and saw some very heavy fighting for the first couple days. Under heavy barrage the attack opened and the infantry and tanks swept right through the first day's objectives. Eugene was with an infantry battalion and had a pretty close view of the attack. He spent an exciting and anxious, as he described it, half our in a little hole in a bank in sunken road. They next morning they attacked and took the remains of another village. -
Versailles Treaty
The treaty was supposed to prevent all future wars. Although, because of war guilt, heavy reparations, and denied entrance into the League of Nations, for Germany, it did not achieve it's goal. Germany felt tricked into signing the treaty, which led to future hatred of it. Two decades later, this caused the start of WWII.
